


Boris' Chop n' Shop

by Chaos_In_Kaon, EnRaa



Category: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade, Beyblade
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Comedy, Competition, Eventual Fluff, Explicit Language, Multi, Pet Store, workplace shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-07-21 19:19:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7400410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaos_In_Kaon/pseuds/Chaos_In_Kaon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnRaa/pseuds/EnRaa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One year into running Boris' pet empire, a new addition to Tala's team of mismatched "Pet Specialists" threatens the already comically precarious balance of work and life in the store.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The New Hire

**Author's Note:**

> A nice new HIGHLY self-indulgent collab :) 
> 
> Tags will be updated as the story progresses!

It had been an entire year since Boris had shown up at the door of "The Abbey", the most run-down building in the city and home of many orphans, and asked if there were any children coming of age who he could hire for his new "empire". He was opening a Pet Store, the first one in the city, and needed an entire team to staff it. A very gracious opportunity from a very generous man, it seemed.

Boris, being the generous man he was, sought out a gaggle of 17-year olds with no prior work experience or field expertise, set them up in the building with everything they needed, got them apartments, had them completely comfortable to start their new lives as working adults.

And then he left.

Apparently he was at some training seminar that one year later was still going on, if the lack of his presence was anything to go by. The odd phone call was the only communication they really got from him...

Tala could still vividly remember the throngs of people bombarding him to talk to the owner their opening month and he really had no idea what to tell them. He was lucky Boris had made sure he knew the systems and procedures inside and out, because the redhead had no idea what he was doing for the first couple of months at all. It was all he could do to make sure his orders were out and the store wasn't somehow burned down!

But it had really paid to be a perfectionist; When Boris didn't answer any calls regarding how to handle the various mishaps and hiccups that happened along the way, Tala didn't stop researching and practicing the best management techniques for amateurs until he was sure he perfected them and could successfully run the store in his boss' absence.

Which worked, for the most part. It would have been perfect if he didn't have the most mismatched team of employees to ever walk the Earth.

Tala himself was normal enough, an aforementioned perfectionist who preferred to spend his time working or at home reading a book snuggled up to his wolfdog, Wolborg. Once he was properly prepared, he enjoyed his work...for the most part. There really weren't a lot of downsides to people bringing in their pets, big or small, and letting Tala and his staff pet and hold them while they were shopping.

The downsides came mostly from Bryan, his self-appointed second in command and head of the avian section. The absolute worst employee he could ever have, and the list as to why he had that honor was updated every single day. Foul-mouthed, disrespectful, and too unreliable, just to start. Habitually late due to hangovers, aware of but never adhering to the proper dress code (Tala really hated those boots - the man was going to fall off a ladder any day now), and RARELY looking up from his phone made him the absolute _worst_ person he could imagine working for him.

Unfortunately no matter how many emails and voicemails Tala left, Boris never got back to him on firing him.

Then there was Spencer. Spencer always went above and beyond for people. He genuinely liked his job and enjoyed helping and contributing to the business. He'd volunteered to become a groomer when Boris had mentioned that he'd considered adding in a station, and was a staple in Chop 'n Shop. The customers loved him when he was in the store front, his grooming customers adored his work, and he was always on time, dressed appropriately given whatever his shift entailed, and was knowledgeable in all parts of the store.

He was employee of the month every single month for a reason. Tala had originally added that title as an incentive for Bryan to be a better employee but instead Bryan just bought Spencer breakfast every time the title renewed.

Like most things concerning Bryan, it had backfired.

But they managed. The store was always spotless, well-stocked (the only thing Bryan did well, but not as well as Spencer), and had a good reputation. All things Tala was very proud of.

Even their customers were friendly and interesting. They had many regulars, some of whom were very prominent in the pet industry themselves (breeders, show-goers, vets), and others who just really loved having a place to take their furry buddies. They had mostly dogs and cats, the odd small pets and birds, and a lot of older people with fish.

Then there was the odd request that would always manage to throw Tala for a loop.

Like this one.

"I already import Clarence's food from the most prestigious of companies, so that is not an issue. I just think I should get him a nice treat; His harness training has been going swimmingly and he really deserves a reward!"

Tala was stunned. Here in front of him was Robert's newest pet, 'Clarence'. Clarence was a 3 and a half foot long Indian peacock standing proudly in front of Tala, chest thrust out and head held high as he sported his new harness. Tala really had no clue how one would go about putting a harness on a volatile pheasant, but Robert somehow managed to master it and his bird was seemingly very thrilled about it.

He was really at a loss of words, much less action.

"Um...yeah, a treat would be a good move...Positive reinforcement is always the best training method..." He improvised, staring down at the bird who happily cawed at him.

Apparently it liked the treat idea...

"Yes, that's what I said!" Robert beamed, patting Clarence on the head gently. "His breeder said treating him would just spoil him but I think after all that training he deserves a reward."

"Alright...Let's go look at some treats then..."

\--

"Talaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Bryan called out musically, the phone ringing insistently in the background. Tala ignored him. “So we have some pumpkin over here, seeds and pulp, they really love that, I hear, and..” “TALAAAAAAAA” He called again, louder, the phone still ringing. Tala closed his eyes a moment, took a breath, and continued, “..They also really like mealworms, and of course, they are really high in protein, so great to feed this time of year.” He finished, showing Robert the aforementioned items. “TALA!” More forceful this time. Tala leaned out from behind the aisle toward the counter, where Bryan stood by the phone, which was STILL RINGING. “WHAT!?” He asked, irritated. “CATCH!” And with that, the cordless phone was pitched across the room at him, smacking him in the face.

 

He fell to his knees holding his nose, where the phone struck him. A bit of blood seeped from between his fingers. Robert looked down at him, mildly concerned. “Are you alright?” He asked. Tala raised his index finger to him, indicating he would be with him in a moment, and walked briskly to the bathroom to try and stop the bleeding. He took the phone with him, which was no longer ringing, and checked the display. There was a voicemail waiting, and the name on the screen was Boris'. He passed Bryan on the way to get cleaned up. “It was Boris, you idiot! “ He snarled. “Go do your job and help Robert while I get this blood off me!”

 

Once the bleeding stopped, and he was cleaned up as much as possible, he tried to call Boris back. No answer. He checked the voicemail, hoping he left something useful this time, and not some sort of unclear and ambiguous task to take care of, as per usual. “Tala! You really should be answering the phone, you know! Very unprofessional. Anyway, I'm sending over a new employee. His name is Kai. He is the grandson of Voltaire, a business partner of mine, and he wants Kai to learn some responsibility. He will be full time, of course, and I know you can use an extra hand. Also, he has a bird of some kind, so give the boy some real work, and put him in charge of aviary. Something he can learn from. I know you won't let me down, my little assistant manager! I'll be at a series of meetings for the next two weeks, by the way, so you won't be able to reach me. Ta-ta!”

 

Tala groaned. Great. A little rich boy who probably doesn't want to work, to take over the section of the not rich boy who doesn't want to work. He stepped back out onto the floor, to watch Robert leaving with a large bag, Bryan looking pleased with himself. “I sold him some mealworms, some pumpkin, and that watermelon in the fridge!” He boasted. “That watermelon was my lunch, Bryan...” Tala replied, not even surprised. “Well, I sold it.” He reaffirmed, still looking pleased. “For twenty dollars.” Tala raised his eyebrows. “What? Bryan, there was a small container of watermelon pieces there. That much would have cost pennies! The whole damn melon is only worth about four dollars at a grocery store!” Bryan laughed. “Yeah, I know. I figured we could just pocket it though, split the money. I mean, it's not like it came out of store inventory.” “Great, so now we're swindling our best customers... Give me the money, Bryan. I'm going to give it back to him the next time he's in! God, if he ever actually goes to a store and sees the price of watermelon...” He trailed off, snatching the bills from Bryan's hand, and taking it to the safe.

 

“By the way,” Bryan started, following Tala to the counter, “This section is tough. I mean, birds are so frigging difficult! They all seem to need different seed, vegetables to supplement, stuff to keep their beaks a certain way, talons clipped, I mean, COME ON! It's a bird!” He finished dramatically. Tala continued his task, stowing the money away, and writing a note to himself to give back the money for the melon. “Well, I'm glad you feel that way.” He said. Bryan's face scrunched. “What? Why?” “Because that call you refused to answer was Boris leaving a message that we're getting a new guy, and that this kid is taking over your section.” He slammed the safe shut, and returned to the sales floor. Bryan looked livid. “What the fuck?!”

 

They were interrupted by the door chiming, and a boy in his late teens entering, looking around distastefully. Tala approached him. “Hi there! Is there anything I can help you find?” The boy gave Tala a lookover, noted his badge, and met his eyes again, looking rather petulant. “I'm Kai. I work here now, apparently.” “Ah! Well, I'm Tala, the assistant manager. Good to have you on the team, Kai!” Tala held his hand out to shake. Kai glanced at it, and walked past him further into the store. “Okay...” Tala sighed, resigned that this kid was going to be exactly what he pictured him to be.

 

Tala trailed behind him, noticing that Kai was wearing jeans and a tee shirt, finding it odd that Boris hadn't given him the store shirt, at the very least. “So, did Boris give you the uniform and shoe requirements?” He asked, watching Kai poke and prod at various items in the store, fixing the position of the ones he pushed dangerously to the ends of the shelves and were threatening to fall off. “Yeah, he gave me an ugly shirt, like the one you're wearing and said something about black pants and shoes. I didn't really pay attention. I like what I'm wearing better.”

 

Tala pinched the bridge of his nose. “Well, we do have a dress code, and you DO have to adhere to it. Today it's fine, it's your first day, but after this, you have to wear the polo shirt, the black dress pants and the black non skid shoes. It's not a request; it's required. Everyone here has to adhere to it.” He finished his much practiced spiel. He did, after all, have to recite it to Bryan on many occasions. Kai made a non-committal noise, and went to stand at the counter. “So; you're going to work in aviary-” Bryan huffed at this. “- And you're going to be tentatively in charge of the section.” “What's aviary mean?” Kai asked, staring out the shop window at the foot traffic on the sidewalk. “Um. Birds.” Tala answered, “I thought you had one?” “Oh, yeah. Dranzer. So do I get to tell people what to do?” He asked, his interest in the subject lifting slightly. “No, you're just in charge of telling people what they should be feeding their birds, advising about the products and helping to choose items relevant to the particularities of people's pets.”

 

Kai lost all interest now. “Oh. Whatever.” Bryan came to the counter now, sizing up the new kid. “So, Tala, it's pretty quiet, maybe the kid should do the floors? Get him used to where stuff is a little better, if he has to walk the aisles.” He said with a grin. “What do I do to the floors?” Kai asked, confused. Tala and Bryan stared at him. “You sweep then mop them.” Tala answered patiently. “Oh, right. Well, I don't do that.” Kai said simply, and took out his phone to start texting. Bryan barked out a laugh, while Tala tried his best to stay calm. “Well, now you do.” He said shortly, passing him the broom. “Sweep.” Kai set the broom aside, and went back to texting. Tala ground his teeth.

 

“Listen, you little brat-” Tala started, but was cut off by the swinging door to the grooming room being thrown open, smacking against the wall behind it. Everyone looked up to see a very large, very wet, and very sudsy St. Bernard barrel out of the room. Tala and Bryan were quick to move away, but Kai, new to the shop, stood his ground staring. The dog stopped dead in front of him, and shook. He covered Kai in a wonderfully gooey mix of soap, water, and drool. Kai stood frozen, only able to close his eyes in time; his mouth took quite a bit in, though. Spencer came out behind the dog, took in the scene before him, and his lips twitched up in a small smile. Kai was soaked, and Bryan and Tala were hiding behind a display, the sounds of Bryan's laughter echoing through the store. “Sorry 'bout that.” Spencer said, approaching the dog and soaked teenager. Kai opened his eyes, his face a funny mix of complete anger, and confusion. In an amazing feat of strength, Spencer simply picked up the two hundred pound dog, and carried him back into the grooming area.

 

Kai finally came around from his ordeal, sputtering and spitting the slimy mix from his mouth, and desperately trying to wring out his shirt. Tala and Bryan came back around, Bryan laughing harder at the sight of Kai. Kai afforded the two one look of pure hatred, and stalked out of the store. Tala watched him leave, irritated. “Well, he beat your record for shortest shift ever.” He said to Bryan. “A half an hour. He'd best show up looking proper tomorrow...”

\--


	2. Unleash the Hounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training Kai is a curse that has befallen Tala... At least he's got a handsome man with a pack of cute dogs to look forward to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> E- I gotta say I always wanted a fish named Socks XD I'm also so pro heavily-accented Johnny.  
> C- I am so Pro Johnny x Tala. And also team asshole Bryan :D

When Tala arrived at work that afternoon, he'd been expecting a typical day stocking shelves, placing orders, and supplying the sometimes odd necessities for his customers and their pets. He even had a bounce to his step knowing that it was the last week in the month, and that the handsome Scot and his pack of gorgeous bear-sized dogs would be in for their maintenance grooming.

What he was met with, however, was an utterly disastrous conversation between Bryan (of course) and a young boy holding a small terrarium with his fish in it.

"I think my fishy Socks has ick, Mister!" The boy had a worried expression, and it was easy to tell that he really cared for this fish. It was probably a first pet - the test for a puppy or hamster or something.

"Ick, huh?" Bryan was hardly interested, it seemed, and barely even looked up from the shelving as he restocked the various fish foods.

"Yeah!" The kid exclaimed, hefting the small terrarium with his little beta in it up to Bryan, showcasing his ill pet. "He's been scratching on the tank! I think his white spots are itchin' him!"

Bryan spared a glance at the fish, looked down at the boy, and thought for a moment. "Hm, seems pretty serious." He decided, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the shelf. "You should flush it."

The boy gasped and tears immediately welled up in his eyes. "There's nothing you can do for him?"

Tala looked between Bryan and the young boy, completely shocked. "OF COURSE THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO." Tala blurted, shoving his coffee and keys into Bryan's hands and ushering the child over to the counter.

-

"I'm going to kill you."

Bryan didn't even look up from his phone, taking a sip of Tala's coffee before making a face. "I can't imagine why."

Tala huffed. "You know we carry medicine for treating ick. It's just under the counter."

"That fish was fucked. Come on, Tala, it was spotty." Bryan shrugged, taking another sip of the coffee and scowling. "Ugh, your mix is disgusting."

"Then stop drinking my coffee and get your own!" The redhead exclaimed, fussing with a treat display on the counter. "Seriously, you just have to tell him it will work. It's still a sale, Bryan. He was like 12."

"Ooh, we're in the business of lying now..." The older Russian teased, taking a final sip of the coffee before giving up on it completely and tossing it into the garbage can behind him. "Jesus that's gross."

Rubbing at his eyes tiredly, Tala sighed heavily. "It's not lying if it's actually for treating the problem. How is it our fault if his parents refuse to take it to the vet or flush and replace it while he's out with a friend or something?"

"So you DO agree with flushing it!"

The redhead groaned, dropping his head to the counter in frustration. After a long moment, he turned to look at the clock. "Did Kai show up today?"

Nodding, Bryan put his phone in his pocket and stretched. "Yepp. On time too. Still won't wear the uniform though."

"Neither will you." Tala growled. The fact that the kid showed up was good... And on time too! Maybe he was coming around after all! "What did you have him do? Please don't tell me he shadowed you..."

"Nah, I don't want that little brat on my ass all day. That's your job anyway." He chuckled at the glare Tala shot him. "Last I seen he was checking off the order that came this morning. C'mon, we'll go see what kinda mess he made."

-

A quick survey around the store told them that barely anything had been put away, and a nice sketch of a hand flipping them off, doodled in marker no less, covered the invoice for their order.

"Lovely." Tala grumbled, frowning down at the papers.

"Well, he put a couple of bags away. I can bet my paycheck they're not rotated though." Bryan observed, pulling a couple of bags of kibble off the shelf and checking the dates skeptically. "Yepp, newest are in the front. What a dumbass."

"Am I asking too much for you to fix it up and deal with the order while I find the little mongrel?" Tala asked as he fixed a couple of the bags himself.

"Go ahead, I got this. Means I don't have to deal with the customers for a bit." Bryan grinned, fishing the packing slip from his pocket and clipping it to the clipboard in place of the vandalised invoice.

-

Kai was leaning against the counter, messing around with an app on his phone, when the door chimes indicated that someone entered the store. A quick glance around told him that he was on his own, and, with a sigh and a roll of the eyes, he approached the customer.  
  
“What do you need?” He asked in a bored voice. The customer didn't seem to notice; she was staring at a tower of dog food bags stacked on the floor, a large orange sale sign in front of it. “I want to try this food, since it's just gone on sale, but my dog is very fussy. I don't know for sure if he would like it, and I don't want to waste my money.”  
  
Kai glanced at the stack of large bags, each weighing 30 lbs. He shrugged, walked to the counter, retrieved a box cutter and a shopping bag, and sauntered back to the woman and the food. He clicked the blade into place on the knife, and slashed the top bag open, right down the centre. He then started to shovel kibble into the shopping bag until it was full, then handed it to the customer. She gave him a confused look, to which he responded harshly, “What? I gave you a damn sample, didn't I?” And he walked away.  
  
Tala came around the corner on his quest for Kai, just in time to see a customer leave with a store bag full of loose kibble. He started toward the door to confront her, but stopped in his tracks at the sound of crunching beneath his feet. Looking down, he saw the mess of kibble, and, following the path of destruction, saw the slashed bag of food.  
  
Assuming that the customer did this herself, he hurried to the back to check the cameras. His eyes bulged when he saw that the one who cut the bag open was Kai.  
  
He walked back to the sales floor, livid. “Kai!” He yelled. Kai sauntered to the front, eyes still glued to his phone. “What?” Tala was flushed red with anger. “What? WHAT? YOU KNOW WHAT!” The raised voice attracted Bryan and Spencer, who heard from the other side of the grooming room door.  
  
“I don't know what the problem is.” Kai responded, seemingly bored. “The problem,” Tala began, through gritted teeth, “Is that you tore open an eighty dollar bag of food, put a good chunk of it in a shopping bag, and GAVE IT TO A CUSTOMER!” Kai looked affronted. “I gave her a sample!”  
  
Bryan snorted his laughter, and Spencer frowned. “We have bags of samples behind the counter.” Tala said, as he walked over and picked one up. “I showed these to you already!” “Yeah, well, there are just too many kinds. I wasn't really paying much attention.” Tala squeezed the bag, and fought hard the urge to throttle the kid. His red face darkened.  
  
Spencer stepped forward. “Tala, why don't I take the kid in with me? I can get him to shampoo the dogs or something.” Tala nodded curtly, and stalked off to get a broom. Bryan let out his laughter, and almost doubled over. Spencer placed a hand on Kai's back, and led him away to the grooming room, hoping Tala would cool down, and not murder the guy.

-

The grooming room wasn't very large, but it was astoundingly functional. One wall was large kennels, fit for all sizes of dogs, and each was equipped with an independent dryer. This area could both hold the dogs until it was their turn, or their owner came to get them, or the washed dogs could be dried off before the grooming took place.  
  
A second wall was a large walk in shower stall, the shower head removable and flexible, and a small hydraulic table with a grooming arm was inside, tucked against one side, for smaller dogs. There were lots of cupboards, all labeled, for the equipment, and all tables and arms were adjustable, with alternative straps in place, if a noose couldn't be used. All equipment was top of the line, and the place was spotless, a fact that Spencer took great pride in.  
  
Kai walked in, and examined the dogs in the kennels. All were small, except one monstrous standard poodle. He nosed around the equipment, and poked around at the tools. Spencer kind of left him be, and went to retrieve one of the small dogs from the kennels.  
  
“While I bathe this one, I want you to take Angus out and fluff him.” Kai gave him a blank stare. “The poodle, Kai. The big poodle.” Kai opened the kennel, and Angus walked out, looking around imperiously. “I think this dog is stuck up. And what kind of name is Angus on a dog?” Kai asked. “He is stuck up. His owner is extremely wealthy, and his dogs are spoiled. And Johnny's Scottish, so the name kind of reflects that, I guess. Angus isn't bad to deal with, though. Much easier to handle than Ram, he tries to eat the clippers. Alright, I already finished with him, he just needs to be fluffed a little more with the metal comb there.”  
  
Spencer returned to his work, taking a small terrier into the walk in shower, and closing the door. Kai picked up the comb, and started idly poking at the dog's fur. When he quickly grew bored of that, he picked up a electric clippers, and started playing with them. He turned them on, and, though they were very quiet, the vibration was very strong. Surprised, he dropped the clippers, which fell onto Angus' back. Kai picked the clippers back up, turned them off, and put them on the table, before noticing the stripe of missing hair on the dog. Kai looked back to the clippers, and realized the blade attachments weren't on. He bent down, picked up some of the fur that was clipped off, and laid it on the bald patch.  
  
When Spencer finished the detangling of the wet dog, he placed him in the dryer, and started gathering his tools. He looked at Angus, decided that Kai didn't do a half bad job of fluffing him, and smiled. “Great job! Thanks for the help. Could you take him out for me? Johnny should be here by now to get him. I'll be right out.”

-

Bryan thanked his lucky stars that it was just a small order; The kid must've went through the stock like the Tasmanian Devil! There were toys with no price tags, supplements out that were supposed to be behind the counter, and a fair amount of bones misplaced in the bins.

It had to be purposeful.

But a good hour and the bulk of it was done, just the toys and accessories to be priced and put out. He felt productive.

And kind of tired.

BUT it was the last hour of his shift and he could take his time, do things at his pace and relax. Also try to hook up for the night. Even the door dinger going off couldn't ruin his good mood.

Except for when it did.

It wasn't that he didn't want to deal with anyone in general...

The mass of red hair that poked through the door and the Scottish accent that followed it was what squashed his mood.

"Anyone in here, Bryan?"

"Nope." He muttered with a sigh, getting a few sheets of printer paper and clipping them to the clipboard. Dread filled him as the door opened once more and four TOO LARGE dogs barrelled in, off leash, and began the feast.

"Ya know the drill." Johnny grinned, tucking the leashes into his pocket. "Anythin' they eat or destroy, just write it down. I'll get it all on the way out."

With a scowl, Bryan began jotting down the items that the dogs immediately went for, knowing their favorites by now. "Rich bastard."

"Arsehole."

Tala came out from the stock room with a mass of bags and receipt rolls, barely noticing the commotion around him as he argued into the phone receiver propped up on his shoulder.

"No, we don't carry that brand. That's a brand Barthez carries. NO we can't special order it. They're next door. No we can't get it in cheaper because we don't carry it. I am the manager. Yes you can try calling him but he won't even answer me. That was rude, Sir."

Johnny and Bryan watched the smaller man argue away before finally just hanging up the phone in frustration. He sighed tiredly and went about stocking the bags he'd brought up.

"Tala, ya work too hard!" Johnny chuckled at the fellow redhead.

Tala whipped around and smiled broadly. "Johnny! Nice to see you in! How are things?" His mood visibly went from zero to ten and Bryan snickered.

"Ah, same old stuff. Work, family nonsense, an' of course the boys." The Scot nodded towards the sounds of disaster and they both chuckled.

"And you say I work too hard. You own one of the busiest clubs in town. I'd think you're the overworked one."

"Aye, but the boys make it worth it. That reminds me, did my order come in yet?" Johnny asked, popping a few bags of treats up on the counter.

"Just came in today." Bryan popped a small box up with the rest of the Scot's items. "One top of the line heating lamp for one old as fuck salamander." He ignored the glare from Tala.

"Tell me about it. The damn thing's older than I am." Johnny examined the box for a moment, and almost dropped it when a muffled yelp of distress drew his attention to the gondola with all the bones. "One sec, Ram got his nut stuck in the basket again."

"His what?!" Bryan gawked, but Tala was quick to quiet him.

"Head, Bryan, it's slang for head. His genitalia is not somehow stuck in the basket." Tala corrected him. "You'd think for how much you guys see each other at his club you'd understand him better by now."

"I think you consider us better friends than we are. I like his joint, and because I go there so much I get discounted drinks. That's about where it ends." Bryan shrugged, jotting down a few more items. "'Sides, you only understand him so much because you love him. Two years ago you didn't know what 'aye' meant."

Tala frowned. "I don't LOVE him. I just find him very attractive and he has a bunch of cute dogs."

"I think it's love. And those dogs are too much. I mean YOURS is a hell-raiser alone. Can you imagine five?"

"Hey, Wolborg's brother is over there! They both turned out just fine!" Tala said defensively, crossing his arms over his chest. "And the dogs are just happy in the store. It's not like they're uncontrollable."

"Noooooo.... Not at all."

-

The grooming room door opened, and Kai emerged with Angus behind him. The dog went happily to his owner, who started scruffing and kissing him immediately. It only took seconds before the loose hair covering the bald spot fell off.  
  
Johnny froze, the loose fur in his hand, and stared at the bald patch. Bryan and Tala stared in horror. Kai just folded his arms. Spencer came out, his smile fading when he saw the look on everyone's face. “What's wrong?” He asked, very concerned. Johnny held up the handful of hair to Spencer, who paled immediately, seeing the stripe of skin now exposed. Everything was quiet, until finally, Johnny's face broke into a huge smile, and he started laughing. “Bad day at work, Spencer?” He asked, cracking up. Spencer shot a look at Kai, who said nothing, and took out his phone to play with. “N-no... Johnny, I am SO sorry!” he stammered, not sure what to do or say. Johnny waved him off. “Don't be a div! It's fine! Could ya even him out a bit, though?” He asked, wiping a tear from his eye, the result of his hysterical laughter.  
  
Spencer muttered another apology, and a quiet, “Of course!” before leading Angus back to the grooming room to be trimmed down.  
  
-  
  
When Spencer finished, and Johnny had left, Spencer grabbed Kai by the arm, and dragged him into the grooming room. Bryan and Tala followed, thinking he was going to beat the kid. “I asked you to FLUFF HIM, you stupid little brat!” He hollered, easily pulling Kai along, regardless of his struggling. Tala tried to reason with Spencer, but it fell on deaf ears. Bryan was grinning.  
  
Spencer threw Kai into the shower, where he tumbled to the floor, looking confused. “Make a fool out of me, when I was trying to be nice, and save you from being fired? I'll show you, you ungrateful little TURD!” Spencer turned on the water, and started blasting Kai with ice cold jets. Kai started squealing, throwing his hands up to block the flow. Tala was now pulling on Spencer's arms, trying desperately to stop the attack, but Spencer acted as though he wasn't even there. Bryan was laughing now, cheering Spencer on.  
  
“STOP! Stop it, you asshole!” Kai shouted, his words turning to gurgles when Spencer aimed the nozzle at his face. “Sure!” He said, turning off the water. “You're right, I should stop.” He reached down, and pulled the soaked teen to his feet. Kai thought he was in the clear, and a murderous look started to creep onto his face, until his arm was grabbed again, and he was being dragged over to the grooming table now.  
  
Tala chased after, still shouting at Spencer to stop. Spencer picked up the same clippers that Kai used on Angus, and removed the attachment, making sure it was down to the surgical blade. He turned it on. “I think this will teach you some manners, you rotten kid” And with that, he shaved a stripe across the side of Kai's head, just about to the skin of his scalp. Kai screamed and flailed, but the damage was done. Spencer turned off the clippers, put them on the table, and walked out, leaving Kai standing there in disbelief, screaming obscenities, Bryan laughing uncontrollably, and Tala wondering what he ever did to deserve all of this.

 


End file.
